As the last traces of dark energy faded from the temple, Nerissa gently lifted Naome's body, a solemn sense of finality settling over her. But as she held the body, a strange sensation prickled at the edge of her Fey senses something unnatural, wrong. Her fingers traced Naome's form, and her heart skipped a beat as she felt the body grow cold, too quickly and unnaturally so.
"Wait…" she whispered, her eyes narrowing.
The others, sensing her hesitation, turned their attention to Nerissa.
"What's wrong?" Haru asked, his eyes sharp with concern.
Nerissa's gaze darkened as she inspected the body. With a surge of Fey magic, she channelled a pulse of energy through it, and to her shock, the figure of Naome began to change. Shadows peeled away like mist, revealing a hollow, puppet-like shell an empty vessel enchanted to mimic Naome's appearance.
"This… this isn't her," Nerissa said, her voice laced with frustration and disbelief. "It's a magical puppet."
Borgak clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with fury. "So she's been playing us again? Using that thing to fool us?"
Seraphine's jaw tightened as she examined the shell, now crumbling under the weight of its broken illusion. "That means Naome's still alive. She was never truly here."
Lirael lowered her bow, her expression a mixture of anger and realization. "Then she must be recovering, buying herself time while we were busy fighting her puppet."
Nerissa nodded, piecing it together. "She's somewhere far away, probably hidden and recuperating. She knew we'd be distracted by this fake, and she used it to mask her real location."
Haru let out a sharp breath, his mind racing. "We can't let her escape again. She's still a threat, even weakened. If she has time to recover, she'll come back stronger."
Nerissa, her senses still tingling from the remnants of the puppet's magic, looked at each of them with renewed urgency. "If she's truly out there, we need to know where she's hiding. But there's no trail… nothing to lead us to her."
Seraphine, thoughtful and focused, placed a hand on Haru's shoulder. "We're at a loss here, but maybe Bramble can help us. His knowledge of magic is unlike anyone we've met. He might know how to track her down."
Haru nodded, his gaze steady as he met Seraphine's eyes. "It's worth a try. Bramble has seen things we can't even imagine. If anyone can help us, it's him."
The group agreed, and without hesitation, they set out from the temple, retracing their steps back to the quiet grove where Bramble lived. The journey was tense, each of them acutely aware that Naome, even weakened and hidden, was a lingering threat. But the knowledge that they had allies, that they had someone like Bramble, gave them hope.
As they approached Bramble's secluded hut, the old hermit was already waiting for them, his keen eyes fixed on them as they entered his clearing. His appearance was as wild as ever, his tattered robes draped around him and his beard tangled, but there was a certain sharpness in his gaze as if he had known they were coming.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Bramble said, his voice gruff but curious. "Or perhaps something even worse."
Haru stepped forward, his expression grave. "Bramble, we need your help. We thought we defeated Naome, but it turns out it was a decoy, a magical puppet. She's still out there, and we have no idea where she could be."
Bramble's eyes narrowed as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "A clever trick. Puppets can be used to conceal one's true location, a tactic often employed by those dabbling in dark magic. But such magic leaves a trace, especially for someone who's used as much power as Naome."
Nerissa, her Fey senses still attuned to the lingering magic, nodded. "That's true, Bramble. I sensed something left behind, but it was faint. Is there a way to track it?"
Bramble tilted his head, his gaze sharpening. "There is… but it's not without risk. We'll need something of hers something that contains her essence, her energy. That puppet might be enough if we handle it carefully."
Seraphine reached into her satchel, retrieving the remnants of the puppet that had been Naome's decoy. The shell had grown brittle, crumbling in places, but the faint traces of magic still clung to it, like wisps of smoke. She offered it to Bramble, who accepted it with careful hands.
"This will do," Bramble murmured, his fingers tracing over the hollow shell as he examined the magic within. "But we'll need more than this to trace her true location. I'll need to perform an ancient ritual, one that calls upon the connection between caster and vessel."
The group exchanged wary glances. They had faced many dangers, but dark magic left its mark in unexpected ways. Nevertheless, they nodded, each of them determined to track Naome down.
"What do we need to do?" Haru asked, his voice steady.
Bramble motioned for them to follow him to a clearing beside his hut, where the light filtered through the trees in soft, golden rays. In the centre of the clearing lay a circle of stones, each one engraved with ancient runes that glowed faintly in the fading light.
"Stand within the circle and place the puppet at the centre," Bramble instructed, his voice low and serious. "This ritual will link you to Naome, allowing you to follow the trail she's left behind. But be warned: once we begin, you'll be vulnerable. The link goes both ways. She may sense it, may even try to sever it. Stay focused."
The group took their places around the circle, each of them feeling the weight of the ritual as they prepared themselves for what was to come. Seraphine placed the remnants of the puppet in the centre of the stone circle, watching as Bramble began to chant in a language that felt ancient as if it were woven from the very roots of magic itself.
A strange light filled the circle, casting shadows that danced and twisted around them. The puppet at the centre began to glow, faint at first, then brighter, until its edges blurred, and the air around it pulsed with energy.
Nerissa's Fey senses tingled, and she reached out, feeling the magic around her, guiding it toward the faint traces of Naome's essence that lingered in the air.
Bramble's voice grew louder, the chanting building in intensity as he reached the ritual's peak. "Focus on her on the darkness she carries. Let her magic call to you, let it show you the path."
The group closed their eyes, concentrating, feeling the magic link them to the faint essence that remained within the puppet. Images began to flash before their minds snatches of darkness, faint impressions of distant places. They saw twisted trees, jagged cliffs, and shadowed valleys, glimpses of the harsh terrain where Naome's power lingered.
Then, as the ritual reached its climax, they saw it, a small, hidden cave deep within a desolate mountain range, shrouded in mist and cloaked in shadows. They could feel her there, the faint pulse of her presence as she hid away, her energy weak but growing.
Haru's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding. "She's hiding in the mountains to the north, in a cave. She's injured, but she's healing."
Bramble's chanting ceased, and the light in the circle faded. He looked at them, his expression grim. "You've found her, then."
Seraphine nodded, her gaze hardening. "We have. And this time, we won't fall for her tricks."
Bramble stepped back, his eyes filled with a wisdom born from years of witnessing battles of light and dark. "Be cautious. The journey to those mountains is treacherous, and Naome may have prepared traps, even in her weakened state. But if you're determined, then go with all the strength you've gained together."
The group nodded, their determination renewed by Bramble's guidance. They had faced Naome's deceptions, her puppets, her dark magic but now, they had the advantage. She was vulnerable, and they knew exactly where she was.
As they prepared to set off toward the northern mountains, Bramble watched them with a small, knowing smile. "Remember," he called out to them, "true strength lies not in the power you wield but in the courage you hold close."
With those words ringing in their minds, Haru, Seraphine, Borgak, Lirael, Nerissa, and the rest of the team set out, their hearts steeled for the final confrontation. Naome's sanctuary would be her last refuge, and they were ready to put an end to the darkness once and for all.